


Lost Breaths, Beating Hearts, and Tingling Skin

by isnt_that_wizard



Series: Lightwood-Bane Proposals [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Immortality Talk, M/M, Marriage Proposal, alec has two proposals for magnus, both are adorable, i must use the word love like a million times, literally just fluff, magnus and alec are cute as hell and nothing hurts, these guys are so in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-01 23:46:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17253644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isnt_that_wizard/pseuds/isnt_that_wizard
Summary: Magnus knows his boyfriend has been working too hard lately and just wants him to come home for dinner. Little does he know that Alec is taking this evening in a whole new direction.________This is a companion, continuation of my other work, "It's My Turn To Ask", but can very easily be read as a stand-alone.





	Lost Breaths, Beating Hearts, and Tingling Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the first one of you want to read that: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17235719

It was getting darker outside, approaching eight when Magnus stood up from his apothecary desk to stretch. Glancing at the clock, he frowned a little. Alec should have been home about an hour ago. It wasn't the first time his boyfriend had gotten caught up in work or lost track of time, but tonight, he worried for his Alexander. This past week, he had been working hard. Up early, home late.

 

Magnus hadn't thought much of it; he knew his poor boyfriend had been dumped with extra work for the Clave and working longer hours was expected. But Magnus knew the work was catching up with Alec quickly, making him more exhausted as the week went on. Today, it had taken Alec 10 minutes longer to get out of bed, meaning he was running late and went out the door before grabbing breakfast. And if Magnus knew his love, which he did _very well,_ he also I knew that there was a strong chance that Alec had skipped lunch as well.

 

If Alec was left to his own devices, Magnus estimated it would be about an hour before Alec even thought about leaving his stone, stuffy office. It was then that Magnus decided that he would simply need to take matters into his own hands. Though it was discouraged of him to travel in and out of the Institute at his pleasure, he had been given free reign over Alec's office.

 

He found, as he came through his portal to Alec, that his boyfriend was doing exactly as Magnus had expected him to. He was hunched over the desk, one elbow on the table with his hand in his hair, the other scribbling what Magnus assumed was his signiture on paperwork. At the sound of Magnus entering, however, Alec looked up. Magnus could see how his boyfriend's body visibly relaxed as they made eye contact, and it made him smile to know be could do that.

 

They'd been together for three years, lived together for two, but Alec still made Magnus' heart skip a beat when they saw each other, still had him feeling like he was losing his breath. He was sure that Alec would never stop making him feel that way.

 

"Magnus, what are you doing here?"

 

"I'm here for you, of course."

 

Alec raised an eyebrow. Magnus made his way over to the desk, sitting on the corner. Alec leaned back in his chair, seemingly just admiring the sight before him.

 

"Come home, Alexander."

 

Alec opened his mouth in what Magnus assumed was a protest, but before he could, Magnus held up a hand to stop him.

 

"I know that you have lots of work. I know that it is important. But, darling, you've been working for nine days straight, and I'm sure without any breaks other than getting yourself a new mug of coffee. I'm sure that today you haven't eaten, which is simply unhealthy. So come home. We can make some dinner and go to bed and tomorrow you'll be all rested and well to come back and battle the Clave's incessant paperwork." 

 

He knew Alec would give in fairly easily; he never wanted to spend his nights at work, and he looked tired. Magnus wasn't surprised when just a minute later, Alec nodded his agreement and stood. Magmus smiled to himself, leaning in to kiss Alec. 

 

"Hi," Alec mumbled, a smile on his face as Magnus pulled away. 

 

"Hello yourself," Magnus replied, matching Alec in volume. Then he took his boyfriend's hand, pulling him through the new portal, straight into the kitchen of their loft. 

 

It didn't take very long for Magnus to prepare dinner for them. With a quick wave of his hand, a pot of water and noodles began boiling on the stove, a pan of sauce bubbling next to it. The table sitting out on the loft's balcony was suddenly set, a small flower vase and candle sitting in the center. When they sat down for dinner, Alec seemed more awake. More so, he seemed lighter, happier, more relaxed.

 

Dinner passed with mindless chatter, them simply catching each other up on their days and Alec regailing the tales of mischief Jace, Izzy, and Clary had found themselves in the last week. Together they laughed and smiled. After the food was gone and the conversation died down, Alec placed an open palm on the table, silently asking for Magnus' hand. The warlock of course obliged, and tbe two men fell into a comfortable silence. Magnus was planning to wait a few minutes before suggesting that they should maybe begin cleaning up and getting ready for bed, but then Alec spoke, ever so softly.

 

"I lose my breath every time you walk into the room."

 

Magnus felt himself freeze, practically dropping the napkin he'd been playing with. He looked up to his boyfriend, who held a soft smile on his face. He could feel Alec's thumb rubbing back and forth on the hand of Magnus' he held. Alec's hazel eyes shone and sparkled, the fire of the candle dancing in them.

 

"You. . . what?" Magnus breathed out. Alec just smiled a little wider, glancing down once before meeting Magnus' eyes again.

 

"My heart beats faster when you walk by. My skin tingles when you stand close enough to feel your breath."

 

Magnus felt himself choking up, his breath shaking. It had been over three years ago that he'd spoken those words to Alec. He was surprised his Shadowhunter even remembered them. He could feel the love in Alec's gaze as Magnus glanced down. Magnus often found himself floored by the things his boyfriend said. The man was so blunt, so honest, and oh so romantic, even when he never meant to be. He would say things so casually without knowing that to anyone else, they were declarations of love that only came about once in a while. Every time, Magnus felt himself fall even more in love with the man he was able to call his.

 

But this time, it felt different. It didn't come out like Alec's usual declarations. There was nothing nonchalant or casual about this. It seemed like he'd given it though, that it was planned.

 

"Alexander. . ."

 

Alec squeezed his hand, saying, "I had planned to do this next month. I was going to take you to that new restaurant where it seems so impossible to get a reservation and ask you there. But then you strolled into my office and literally pulled me from my desk because you knew I hadn't eaten yet today. You took me home and insisted we make dinner together and that I wasn't allowed to even think about the Institute until we had finished eating. And this, just you and me, late night dinner on the balcony, it just seems so much more us, you know? So much more perfect. The speech works just as well anywhere, so long as you're there, so here goes."

 

Magnus could feel his heart beating faster, about to explode out of his chest. He knew what was coming. He knew it should scare him, but Raziel, was he so ready. They'd talked about it briefly, both expressing that _yes,_ this something that they both wanted. He knew it would be Alec to take the step forward. Magnus could cry right now and Alec hadn't even started yet.

 

"Alec, are you. . ."

 

His Alexander huffed a small laugh and shook his head lightly. "Magnus, babe, you're gonna have to let me talk, here."

 

Magnus swallowed as Alec reached out for his other hand. He placed in there as he quietly said, "Okay."

 

Alec shifted forward in his seat, looking down at the table. Magnus could sense that he was nervous. He gave his boyfriend's hands a squeeze of reassurance, and when Alec looked up again into his eyes, Magnus felt himself lucky that he didn't fall right out of his seat. Those eyes were so beautiful, so honest and full of love that Magnus always shocked himself that he had the ability to look away.

 

Alec let out a deep breath before he started again.

 

"My family has never had the best track record when it comes to love. My parents were an absolute mess, they always fought with each other, and then my dad. . . Izzy and Jace spent most of their lives not caring, flirting with whoever caught their eye and leaving trails of one-night stands. And me, well, I was just completely hopeless. I grew up knowing I could never have what I wanted and gave up when I was young. Then I almost married a woman, someone I could never love. Frankly, it's a miracle the Lighwoods have survived this long."

 

Alec's smile turned up more at his own joke and Magnus felt himself giggle just a little. He knew how long Alec had struggled in his childhood, and with Maryse and Robert as role models, it was no wonder the three Lightwood children grew up with construed visions of love.

 

"But then, as we all grew up, it seemed like we all managed to figure it out. I don't think I've ever seen my mom as happy as she is now, and I'm pretty sure Luke is a part of that equation. Jace is head over heels for Clary, and Izzy smiles whenever Simon so much as walks into the room. And I wasn't so hopeless as I thought, because I met you. You, Magnus Bane, turned my entire life off its course. My life was a set path, one everyone knew I would go on, one that was expected of me. But then, you've never cared much for rules, have you?"

 

Magnus smiled and squeezed his boyfriend's hand.

 

"When we first met, I did everything I could to push you away, to avoid what you started making me feel. You were so stubborn, though, and you didn't just push me off my path, Magnus, you created an entirely new one. I've never been so grateful for your stubbornness. If you hadn't, I don't know where I would be. Miserable, that's for sure. But you stood right in my way, bringing me everything I didn't know I needed. You put light into my life, got me to joke and play hooky and be more touchy feely than I had since I was a kid. You took this broken, cold soldier and you made me myself again. You made me _happy._ It's no wonder I love you."

 

It took everything Magnus had to not reply with an 'I love you' of his own, but he knew that if he did, it would derail Alec, and not only did he not want to ruin this for his boyfriend, he selfishly wanted to hear everything else that was going to come out of Alec's mouth. Instead he settled for letting the tears in his eyes well and refusing to let them fall yet.

 

"We fell so hard so fast. I know it always worried you that we were going too fast and that we could screw it up, that it led us to fight, but there isn't a second that I would change. I fell for you so fast, and over these past three years, I haven't stopped. I love you so much. More than I ever thought possible. And I don't just love you, I'm _in love_ with you. Every part of me screams to be with you, you're always there in my head, and I never want to be apart from you, even when we fight. I wouldn't know how to not be in love with you, even if I tried."

 

Alec paused for a minute, just smiling at Magnus. His own eyes held tears to match Magnus' and at the sight of them, Magnus let one fall down his cheek. There was nothing he loved more than this man before him.

 

"I'm sure that in your life you've heard the legends. Every Shadowhunter grows up hearing it in whispers at the Academy. We all know the tale of how Nephilim will only love once in their life."

 

Of course Magnus had heard the legend. It was a thought that had always warmed his heart, though he'd found it such a silly prospect. Through his life, he'd found love so many times and it never seemed like the Shadowhunters couldn't do the same. Until Alec, he never fully understood what it meant to settle down, to give your full heart to someone, to find true love.

 

"Growing up, I thought it was ridiculous. My parents had clearly given up with romance or they would be happier. It was later that my mom told me about their spur of the moment, whirl wind romance. They thought it was love, but it wasn't until years later that they both relized it wasn't. I had never believed the legend, but then life gave me so many reasons to. I could feel it from Jace when he met Clary, could see it in Izzy's eyes when she was with Simon, and I felt every ounce of myself giving into you. Nephilim only love once, and we do it so fiercely, so completely, with everything we have. You are the love of my life. My very soul wants to be with you. Loving you is as integral to my life as breathing."

 

At this, Magnus gave himself completely to the tears, letting them flow freely. He had never in his 800 years experienced love like he recieved from Alec. He had never felt so important to someone, never been someone's first priority. Not even his mother had given him as much love as this once broken man in front of him. He had closed himself off from everyone, from feeling anything. He had developed the opinion that it simply wasn't worth it. He would never find love he wanted, love he couldn't lose. Then, everyday since they met, Alec managed to prove him wrong. Even when they fought, which they could both do viciously, he could feel more and more of the bricks around his heart falling to rubble.

 

Here sat this perfect man, holding his hands, looking at him like that, and Magnus was forgetting how to breathe. Alec stood halfway out of his seat, bringing Magnus' left hand up to his face to kiss the back of it, near his bare ring finger. Then Alec released both his hands and stood fully, moving around the table so he was in front of Magnus. Just as he knew Alec was going to, he brought himself down to one knee. He then reached into his pocket and brought out a closed fist.

 

Alec let out a light, slightly shaking breath and looked up at Magnus, his dark hair falling slightly into his eyes. Magnus smiled and reached out to brush it out of the way, then dragged his fingers down the side of his boyfriend's face before leaving his hand to rest of Alec's shoulder. Alec reached up, pressing a quick kiss to Magnus' lips before going back down and opening his hand to reveal a ring.

 

It was a gold band, the same gold he knew decorated Shadowhunter weddings, and resting in the middle was a bright blue stone. The blue color of his magic. Magnus didn't think his smile could get bigger than it was.

 

"Magnus Bane, I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, having you with me. So, Magnus, love of my life, will you marry me?"

 

Mangus brought his hand up from Alec's shoulder to rest on his neck, cupping the back of it.

 

"Yes, Alexander. I will marry you."

 

"Yeah?"

 

" _Yes._ "

 

Alec smiled brightly and surged up to kiss Magnus deeply. Magnus' arms wrapped around Alec's neck, pulling the man to him. When they released each other, Magnus trailed his left hand down to rest on Alec's chest, right over his heart. Alec reached up to pull it off, however, and slipped on the ring. Magnus couldn't make himself look away from it. It was gorgeous.

 

"Do you like it?" Alec asked softly.

 

"It's perfect," Magnus whispered in reply.

 

He could see Alec's smile glow, "Good. I, um. . . I had Izzy make it."

 

Magnus felt a surge of affection for the Lightwood daughter. He would have to buy her an entire flower shop to thank her. For now, however, he focused on the man before him. Magnus kissed him again before standing, and pulling his boy- _fiancé_ with him. Magnus took Alec's hand, leaving the table with their dishes and still buring candle, and led them over to the balcony. With a wave of his hand, two flutes of champagne appeared and he offered one to Alec. The Shadowhunter took it, putting his other arm around Magnus' waist so they were chest to chest. Their smiles were soft, and their breathing matched to one another.

 

"So?" Alec asked quietly. "How'd I do?"

 

Magnus laughed, resting his free hand on Alec's upper arm.

 

"I'd say it was the best speech I'd ever heard. Better than anything I've ever written."

 

Alec laughed and leaned to kiss Magnus' forehead. They stood there silently for a few minutes before Alec spoke up again.

 

"I actually, um, I have. . . I have two proposals for you tonight."

 

Magnus raised an eyebrow in confusion.

 

"Two? Alexander?"

 

Alec gave him a half smile and gave a squeeze to Magnus' waist. He pecked Magnus' lips with his own, then spoke again.

 

"I never want to live without you, Magnus. I don't think I can. Once you told me the same. That you never wanted to imagine the day I would leave you, that I was it for you just as much as you were for me. You told me that you wouldn't be able to love anyone after me and that you would rather spend the rest of your life greiving me than find someone else. I thought about you living like that, having to go through that, and it hurt me. I don't want that for you. I want to to be happy for the rest of time and, well, I think I found a way."

 

Magnus' breath hitched. It was true, he had told Alec all of that. The thought of living without Alec was something that was going to slowly kill him. But it was something he was going to figure out how do deal with. Right?

 

"Alexander, what are you talking about?"

 

Alec smiled shyly, ducking his head down for a minute.

 

"I've been working with Catarina and Clary. We did so much research, Clary has a notebook full of drawings, but I think we finally got it right."

 

"Alec, darling, you don't mean. . ."

 

"Cat found a spell and she thinks that if she combines it with the rune Clary drew. . . Magnus, she thinks it can make me immortal."

 

Magnus thought he could cry again. He couldn't believe what was coming out of Alec's mouth, but before he could open his mouth to reply, Alec continued.

 

"Now, Magnus, I've thought about this. I've thought about it _a lot._ I know what it means, how I'm going to have to through losing mom and Jace and even Izzy, and it'll be awful and I'll be devastated, but that's always been a possibility. We're Shadowhunters, most of us are lucky we've made it this far. I know it'll be hard, and awful, and some days I'm going to hate it, but I want this. Maybe it's me being selfish, I don't want to think of you living without me, but I love you more than anything I could ever love, and I want to spend forever with you. That is. . . if, if you want it, too. . ."

 

Magnus made his way even closer to Alec, something he thought wasn't possible. He put his hands on Alec's neck, cradling his face. They had both abandoned their drinks at this point, setting them in the edge of the stone railing. He looked into Alec's nervous eyes, which was a struggle through the tears streaming down his face. He couldn't believe Alec had done this, done it for him. No one in his life had ever wanted to dedicate themsleves to him, either in marriage or in life.

 

"Alexander, you. . . I can't believe. . . My beautiful angel, I love you so much."

 

With that, Magnus kissed Alec, gently, but with more passion he think he'd ever given to a kiss. Alec gripped his waist tightly, so hard Magnus thought he might leave bruises. The both gasped into the kiss, stealing each other's breath until there was no air left. When they pulled apart, Alec was crying to.

 

"You want to spend forever with me," Magnus whispered. It wasn't a question; he knew Alec had no doubts. The Shadowhunter rarely did when it came to them. It was just something Magnus needed to say out loud. To accept and prove to himself that this was happening.

 

"I do, I really do, Magnus."

 

"I love you so, so, so much. I will spend the rest of our lives telling you and it still won't be enough to express how much you mean to me."

 

Alec's smile could light up the entire world with how bright it was in that moment. Magnus decided then and there that he was going to spend the rest of their lives trying to make that smile stay.

 


End file.
